Tube crimping device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for forming a tube including a base, a pair of legs secured to the ends of the base, and a holder base attached to the base. A tube holder for holding the tube is connected to the holder base. The tube holder has a structure defining a pair of diametrically opposed openings. A pair of soldering irons is oppositely secured with respect to each other in proximity to the top of the pair of legs. Each soldering iron has a hot end that generally registers with one of the opposed openings such as to be in close proximity to the tube being held by the tube holder in order to soften the material of the tube in the area contiguous to the openings. Power is conducted and supplied to each of the soldering irons. Vacuum is drawn on top of the tube to suck or pull inward the tube in the spots being softened from the heat of the pair of soldering irons. A brass conduit is positioned in the tube in order to cool the material of the tube in spots being softened and simultaneously therewith for ceasing the inward movement of the softened spots. A process for crimping a tube to retain an antibody or antigen coated ball, or the like, therein, comprising the steps of positioning the tube containing the coated ball, or the like, in a tube holder having a pair of opposed openings. The ends of the pair of soldering irons are registered with the opposed opening and in close proximity to the top of the tube. The process additionally includes the steps of heating with the pair of soldering irons the sides of the tube in the area facing the pair of opposed openings of the tube holder in order to soften the area; drawing a vacuum on the tube in order to pull inward the area of the tube being softened from the heat of the pair of soldering irons; and ceasing the inward movement of the pair of softened spots to crimp the tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention provides an improved apparatus for crimping a tube. Morespecifically, this invention contemplates a novel apparatus for forminga tube and for crimping a tube to retain an antibody or antigen coatedball or the like, therein for assaying.

2. Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,281 by Rakovsky discloses an apparatus and methodfor forming a plastic tube or container. The Rakovsky's disclosureillustrates a means for forming a necked plastic container wherein thearea of the container adjacent the open end thereof may be heated andthen a vacuum drawn to cause the heated areas to constrict inwardly.U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,570 by Dickson, et al, teaches a plastic tube whichis subjected to heating and then physically deformed to cause theconfiguration as shown in its drawings. U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,087discloses a tube which is heated and then subjected to pressure to causethe outward bulging of the side walls thereof to provide theconfiguration as illustrated in its drawings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,919 byUrquhart discloses an arrangement wherein a plastic member may be heatedand then subjected to mechanical deformation against the tube having asupporting mandrel contained therein. None of the foregoing prior artteach or suggest the particular apparatus and method for crimping a tubeto retain an antibody or antigen coated ball, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention accomplishes its desired objects by providing a novelapparatus for forming a tube comprising a base, a pair of legs securedto the ends of the base, and a holder base attached to the base. A tubeholder means for holding the tube is connected to the holder base and issupported thereby. The tube holder has a structure defining a pair ofdiametrically opposed openings. A pair of soldering irons are oppositelysecured with respect to each other in proximity to the top of the pairof legs. Each soldering iron means has a hot end that generallyregisters with one of the opposed openings such as to be in closeproximity to the tube being held by the tube holder means in order tosoften the material of the tube in the area contiguous to the openings.A power means is provided for conducting and supplying electrical powerto each of the soldering iron means. Vacuum means is connected to thetop of the tube to suck or pull inward the tube in the spots beingsoftened from the heat of the pair of soldering irons means. Means forcooling the material of the tube in the spots being softened andsimultaneously for ceasing the inward movement of the softened spots isprovided on the inside of the tube. This invention additionallyaccomplishes its desired objects by providing a novel apparatus forcarrying out the process of crimping a tube to retain an antibody orantigen coated ball, or the like, therein comprising the steps ofpositioning the tube containing the coated ball, or the like, in a tubeholding means having a pair of opposed openings and registering the endsof a pair of soldering irons means with the opposed openings and inclose proximity to the top of the tube. The process for crimpingadditionally comprises heating with the pair of soldering irons meansthe sides of the tube in the area facing the pair of opposed openings ofthe tube holding means in order to soften the areas; drawing a vacuum onthe tube in order to pull inward the area of the tube being softenedfrom the heat of the pair of soldering irons means; and ceasing theinward movement of the pair of softened spots to crimp the tube.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel apparatus forcrimping a tube which is capable of easily being assembled anddisassembled and stored. Still further objects of the invention residein the provision of an apparatus for crimping a tube to retain anantibody or antigen coated ball, or the like, therein and an apparatusfor forming a tube which can be easily transported, provides easyaccessibility to the interior, and is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

These together with the various ancillary objects and features willbecome apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained bythis invention, preferred embodiments being shown in the accompanyingdrawings, by way of example only, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the apparatus forcrimping a tube according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus for crimping a tube;

FIG. 3 is a side view taken in direction of the arrows and along theplane of line 3--3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view of theapparatus for crimping a tube;

FIG. 5 is an exploded front elevational view of the plug slidablypositioned on the brass cooling conduit;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken in direction of the arrowsand along the plane of line 6--6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tube to be crimped and containing anantibody or antigen coated ball;

FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged front elevational view of the vacuum tubeto be connected to the plug;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the vacuum tube connected to theplug with the brass conduit slidably positioned on the plug such thatpart of the brass conduit extends into the tube and another part of thebrass conduit extends into the vacuum tube;

FIG. 10 is a partial front elevational view of the connected combinationof FIG. 9 positioned in the tube holder such that a pair of top areas ofthe tube are in close proximity to the ends of a pair of soldering ironsthat register with the pair of openings of the tube holder;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of a crimped tube; and

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a crimped tube which clearlydiscloses a sunken-crimped area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring in detail now to the drawings wherein like reference numeralsdesignate similar parts throughout the various views, there is seen theapparatus generally illustrated as 10, for forming a tube 12, containingan antibody or antigen coated ball 13 comprising a base 14 and a pair oflegs 16--16 secured to the ends of the base 14. A holder base 18 isattached to the base 14. A tube holder, generally illustrated as 20,holds the tube 12 and is supported by the holder base 18. The tubeholder 20 has a structure defining a pair of diametrically opposedopenings 22--22. A pair of soldering irons 24--24 are oppositely securedwith respect to each other in proximity to the top of the leg 16--16.Each soldering iron 24 is normal with respect to the leg 16 it isconnected to and has a hot end 26 that generally registers (see FIG. 1)with one of the opposed openings 22 such as to be in close proximity tothe tube 12 being held by the tube holder 20 in order to soften thematerial (preferably a clear plastic means) of the tube 12 in the areacontiguous to the openings 22--22. A plurality of guard rods 29-29-29-29connect to the pair of legs 16--16, generally parallel to the base 14and circumscribe the pair of soldering irons 24--24 to enclose them toprotect the user of the apparatus 10 from being burned. At least oneclamping rod 28 (see FIG. 4) is implanted in the base 14.

Conductor 30 electrically connects to one of the soldering irons 24 andextends down the contiguous leg 16 and through clamping rod 28 (see FIG.4). Conductor 32 connects to the opposed soldering iron 24 thatconductor 30 connects to and extends down the leg 16 that is opposed tothe leg 16 that the conductor 30 extends down. Conductors 30 and 32connect with a common conductor 34 that is in communication with a powersource to conduct electricity to conductors 30 and 32.

A plug 36 with O-ring 38 is slidably positioned on a brass coolingconduit 40 (see FIG. 5). Plug 36 inserts into the top of the tube 12 toair-tightly seal the same from the atmosphere while allowing astructural portion 42 (see FIGS. 5 and 9) of the brass conduit 40 toextend into the tube 12.

A vacuum tube 44 extends from a vacuum source (not shown in thedrawings) to the plug 36 to form an air-tight seal therewith asillustrated in FIG. 9. Also shown in FIG. 9 is that structural part 46of brass conduit 40 preferably extends into the vacuum tube 44 while theend of the vacuum tube 44 is removably sealed around the plug 36. Thepurpose of the structural portion 42 of the brass conduit 40 is thatwhen a vacuum is drawn on the inside of the tube 12 to suck or pullinward the spots 48--48 (of FIGS. 11 and 12) of the tube 12 that arebeing softened from heat being applied by the ends 26--26 of thesoldering irons 24--24, structural portion 42 ceases the inward movementof the pair of softened spots 48--48 when they come in contact with itand simultaneously starts cooling the spots 48--48.

With continuing reference to the drawings for operation of the inventionand the process for crimping tube 12 to retain the antibody or antigencoated ball 13, or the like, the tube 12 containing the coated ball 13,or the like, is positioned in the tube holding means 20 which includesopenings 22--22. The ends 26--26 of the pair of soldering irons 24--24are registered in the openings 22--22 and in close proximity to the topof the tube 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Plug 36 is slidablypositioned on brass rod 40 such that structural portion 42 extends belowthe plug 36 and structural part 46 extends above. Vacuum tube 44connects from the vacuum source to the plug 36 such that the structuralpart 46 extends into the vacuum tube 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 (seedotted lines) and 9. Plug 36 with the aid of O-ring 38 air tightly sealsinto the top of the tube 12 as shown in FIG. 9. Plug 36 with theinserted conduit 40 and the connected vacuum tube 44 may be insertedinto the top of the tube 12 prior to the placement of tube 12 in thetube holding means 20. The areas 48--48 of the sides of the tube 12facing the pair of opposed openings 22--22 is heated in order to softenthe areas 48--48. The vacuum is turned on in order to draw a vacuum onthe inside of tube 12 through the vacuum tube 44 and the brass conduit40; this vacuum pulls inward the areas 48--48 of the tube 12 beingsoftened from the heat of the pair of soldering irons 24--24. The inwardmovement of areas 48--48 continues until the areas 48--48 come incontact with the brass conduit 40 whereupon the inward movement ceasesand areas 48--48 are fully crimped. Areas 48--48 immediately orsimultaneously start cooling upon contact with brass conduit 40 whichcommences conducting heat away from the softened heated areas 48--48. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the inward movement of softenedheated spots or areas 48--48 may be ceased by terminating the heat fromsoldering irons 24--24 and the vacuum drawn on the inside of the tube 12before any contact is made with any brass conduit 40 which would then beunnecessary to the operation of the invention. As soon as the crimpedareas 48--48 come in contact with the brass conduit 40, the solderingirons 24--24 should be turned off generally simultaneously therewith.The crimped tube 12 is removed from the tube holder 20 and preferablyallowed to further cool for a short period of time before the combinedplug 36 and brass conduit 40 is removed.

While the present invention has been described herein with reference toparticular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, variouschanges and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, andit will be appreciated that in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of other featureswithout departing from the scope of the invention as set forth.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for forming a tube comprisinga base; a pair oflegs secured to the ends of said base; a holder base attached to saidbase; a tube holder means for holding said tube and connected to saidholder base, said tube holder having a structure defining a pair ofdiametrically opposed openings; a pair of soldering irons meansoppositely secured with respect to each other in proximity to the top ofsaid pair of legs, each soldering iron means having a hot end thatgenerally registers with one of the opposed openings such as to be inclose proximity to the tube being held by the tube holder means in orderto soften the material of the tube in the area contiguous to theopenings; power means for conducting and supplying electrical power toeach of the soldering irons means; vacuum means connected to the top ofthe tube to suck or pull inward the tube in the spots being softenedfrom the heat of the pair of soldering irons means; means for coolingthe material of the tube in the spots being softened and simultaneouslyfor ceasing the inward movement of the softened spots.
 2. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said means for cooling and for ceasing comprises acooling conduit means and a plug means slidably positioned on saidcooling conduit means for sealing air-tightly the top of said tube whileallowing a portion of said cooling conduit means to extend into saidtube.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said vacuum means comprises avacuum source, and a vacuum tube extending from the vacuum source to theplug means such as to form a tight seal around same.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 3 wherein a structural part of said cooling conduit means extendsinto the vacuum tube while the same is sealed to the plug means.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4 additionally comprising at least one clamping rodmeans implanted in said base.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein saidpower means comprises a first conductor connected to one of saidsoldering irons and extending down the contiguous leg and through theclamping rod means, and a second conductor connected to the opposedsoldering iron that the first conductor connects to and extends down theopposed leg that the first conductor extends down, said first and secondconductors communicate with a power source to receive electricity. 7.The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said soldering iron means isgenerally normal to its connecting leg.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7additionally comprising a plurality of guard rods connected to the pairof legs and generally parallel to said base and circumscribing the pairof soldering iron means to enclose the same and protect the user of saidapparatus.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said cooling conduitmeans comprises brass.